Apparatus for charging and discharging gas retorts



Sept. 30. 1924.

. J. G. W. ALDRIDGE APPARATUS FOR CHARGING AND DISCHARGING GAS HETORTS Filed Aug. 31. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fog were Sept. 30 1924.

J. G. w. ALDRIDGE APPARATUS FOR CHARGING AND DISCHARGING GAS RETORTS Filed Aug. 51'. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i atented Sept. 30, 1924 GEORGE WILLCOX ALDRIDGE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS IEO'R CHARGING AND DISCHARG-ING GAS RETORTS.

Application filed August 31, 1923. Serial No. 660,335.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES GEORGE. VVILL- oox Armin-Den, a British subject, residing at London, England, whose post-office address is'No. 39 Victoria Street, London, S. W. l, have invented certaiin new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Charging and Discharging Gas Retorts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdesoription, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same This invention relates to retort charging apparatus of the type that comprises a central member provided with laterally-projecting push plates combnied with said central member in such a way that they will cooperate with each other to form a series of pockets on each side of said central memher that hold material which is to be introduced into a retort by the forward stroke or charging stroke of said central member and will swing upwardly relatively to said member in such a way, during the return stroke or rearward stroke of said member, that they will slide or drag over the top surface of the material that has been deposited in the retort. I have herein illustrated my invention embodied in an apparatus of the kind known commercially as a chargingdi'scharging apparatus that is adapted to be used in connection with open-ended retorts for introducing fresh material into an open-ended retort simultaneously with the operation of discharging the residue of the previous charge through the rear end of the retort. I wish it to be understood, however, that my broad ideay is not limited to an apparatus of the particular type mentioned. but is applicable to any retort charging apparatus of the kind that comprises a central member equipped with laterally-projecting elements which push material into the retort during the forward stroke of said member and swing upwardly on the reverse stroke of said member into a substantially horizontal position between the crown of the retort and the top surface of the material that has been deposited in the retort. I

One object of my present invention is to provide a retort charging apparatus of the general type mentioned, in which the push plates or laterally-projecting elements at the sides of the central member are of such form and arrangement that they permit a larger charge or a. charge of greater volume or weight. to be introduced into the retort.

Another object is to provide a push plate for a retort charging apparatus which is of such cross sectional shape that it is stronger and more rigid than the push plates now used on retort charging apparatus.

And still another object is to provide a retort charging apparatus of the general type mentioned in which the central member that carries the push plates is provided with laterally-projecting guides that co-operate with the sides of the retort to prevent the ends of the push plates from rubbing against the sides of the retort during the operation of introducing the charge into the retort. Other objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view, illustrating a. portion of my improved apparatus arranged in operative position in a retort, the retort being broken away.

Figure. 2 is a perspective View of one of the push plates. i

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the apparatus, showing the push plates in the position they occupy during the forward stroke or charging stroke of the central member that. carries the push plates.

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional View, showing the push plates in the position they occupy during the rearward stroke or return stroke of said central member; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view, illustrating a modified form of pushplate.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the central member of the apparatus which may consist of a long, rigid member or a member composed of a number of short sections 1 joined or hinged together in such a way that it can be wound onto and off of a polygonal-shaped wheel during the operation of introducing said member into a retort and withdrawing said member from the retort. The member A is provided with a plurality of pairs of push plates or pushing elements B arranged at the opposite side of said central member in such a way that they will be disposed vertically at substantially right angles to said central member when said member is moved forwardly into a retort m, as indicated by 'thearrow vly on its return stroke. In the form of my invention herein illustrated the central memher A is provided with pairs of horizontally-disposed hinge pins 2 that project laterally from the opposite sides of said member adjacent the top edge of same, and each of the push plates is oscillatingly mounted on one of said hinge pins by a hinge element 3 that can be formed conveniently by a flat iron bar bent to produce an eye that surrounds the hinge pin, and a depending shank or downwardly-projecting portion 3 that is riveted or otherwise connected to the push plate with which it c'o-operates. During the forward, or charging stroke of the memberA the push plates B are pre-..

vented from swinging rearwardly by laterally-projecting stops 4: on the central memher, as shown in Figure 1, but when the direction of movement of said central member is reversed to withdraw it from the retort, the push plates B swing upwardly and thereafter drag or slide over the top surface of the material that has been deposited in the retort.

One object of my present invention is to improve the form and construction of the push plates B, whereby they shall be made more effective during the forward stroke or charging stroke and their withdrawal on the return stroke facilitated, thus permitting an increased charge to be deposited in the retort, as compared with retort charging apparatus of the kind now in general use. a

I accomplish this by making the push plates B of'such form that the upper outer end portion of each push plate is offset rearwardly, so as to permit the push plates to rise higher or closer to the crown of the retort during the return stroke or withdrawal stroke of the central member A than is pos sible with a flat push plate whose upper outer end portion lies in the same plane as the main body of the push plate. To state it in another way, each of the push plates B is of such shape that the plane of the outer ,portion of the plate adjacent to the side of the retort is set back in relation to the other ,plate swings upwardly into a horizontal positionsubstantially paralle] to the topor crown of the retort. This is a distinct advantage, in that it produces a charging apparatus which is capable of handling a charge of greater weight or volume t an can be handled by an apparatus of the kind that is equipped with straight push plates, as is now the usual practice.

Preferably, each of the push lates B is provided with two. substantia 1y rightangularly-disposed bends 5 and 5 that extend downwardly from the upper edge of the plate towards the lower edge of the plate, as shown in Figure 2, thus producing a push plate whose upper outer end portion 6 is set back or deflected rearwardly with relation to the inner end portion? of the plate to which the hinge member of the plate is connected. Preferably, the rearwardly offset portion 6 of thepush plate is set back a gradually diminishing degree from the top edge towards the lower edge of the push plate, so that the two portions 6 and 7 of the push plate will merge into one plane at the lower edge of'the push plate. In addition to increasing the upward throw of the push plate,' the rightangularly-disposed bends in the. plate increase the rigidity of the plate andmake it materially stronger than a flat plate, thus eliminating the possibility of the plate becoming bent out of shape by thestrain or pressure exerted on same by a relatively large charge that the plate is pushing into the retort. v i

Instead of making the push plates B of the form shown in Figure 2, the upper outer end portion of each push plate may be curved at 8, as shown in Figure 5, so as to clear the retort or not strike against the retort whenthe plate swingsupwardly into an approximately horizontal position during the return stroke or withdrawal stroke of the central member A. i

As previously stated,it is immaterial whether the central member consists of a long, rigid member or a jointed member made up of a'number of short sections; In

view of the fact that the apparatus is designed to handle relatively large charges of material, it is essential that the central member be of very rigid construction, and therefore, I prefer to form said member from hollow, bar-like castings pivotally connected together by pivot pins 1%', as shown in Figure l, and each provided at its botagainst the sides ofthe retort,-I provide the. central member. A with laterally-projecting arms C that serve as guides or fenders which are of such length that they prevent the outer edges of the push plates B from rubbing against the sides of "the retort during the forward stroke or return stroke of the central member. These fenders or guides O can be constructed in various ways and arranged at various points on the central member, but I prefer to construct them in the form of substantially horizontallydisposed arms that project laterally from the upper edge of the central member A and which are provided at their outer ends with renewable wear pieces 10, as shown in Figure 1, that co-operate with the sides of the retort to center the apparatus relatively to the retort and hold the outer edges of the push plates out of contact with the sides of the retort.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A retort charging apparatus, comprising a central member that is adapted to be introduced into and withdrawn from a retort, push plates at the sides of said central member hinged at their upper edges to horizontally-disposed pivots, and means for maintaining said push plates in an upright position at approximately right angles to said central member during the forward stroke of said member, the upper outer edge portions of said push plates being deflected rearwardly so as to clear the retort when said plates swing upwardly into a horizontal position during the return stroke of said central member.

2. A retort charging apparatus, comprising a central member adapted to be. introduced into and withdrawn from a retort, and hinged push plates arranged at the sides of said central member and combined with same in such a way that they will be disposed vertically, transversely of the retort during the forward stroke of said central member and will swing upwardly into a horizontal position in proximity to the crown of the retort during the return stroke of said central member, each of said push plates being provided intermediate its lateral side edges with an angularly-disposed portion so as to cause the upper outer end portion of the plate that lies adjacent to the side of the retort to be offset rearwardly or set back with relation to the upper inner portion of the plate that lies adjacent to the central member.

3. A retort charging apparatus, comprising a central member adapted to be introduced into and withdrawn from a retort, and hinged pushplates arranged at the sides of said central member and combined with same in such a way that they will be disposed vertically transversely of the retort during the forward stroke of said central member and will swing upwardly into a horizontal position in proximity to the crown of the retort during the return stroke of said central member, each of said plates having two sul'istantially right-angularlydisposed b61105 that extend downwardly from the upper edge of the plate towards the bottom edge of the plate but which terminate above said bottom edge, thereby causing the upper outer edge portion of the plate that lies adjacent to the side of the retort to be offset rearwardly or set back ingly mounted on said hinge pins, each of D said push plates having its upper outer edge portion offset rearwardly or set back with relation to the portion of the plate connected to the hinge member.

5. A retort charging apparatus, comprising a central member adapted to be introduced into and withdrawn from a retort, push plates at the sides of said member that are arranged in an upright position at substantially right angles to said member during the forward stroke of said member, and laterally-projecting fenders or guides on said member that are adapted to co-operate with the sides of the retort to prevent the outer edges of the push plates from rubbing against the retort.

6. A retort charging apparatus, comprising a central member adapted to be introduced into and withdrawn from a retort, hinged push plates at the sides of said member, and transVersely-disposed fenders or guides on said member provided at their outer ends with renewable wear pieces that are adapted to co-operate with the sides of the retort to prevent the side edges: of the push plates from contacting with the sides of the retort.

7. A retort charging apparatus, compris ing a central member adapted to be introduced. into and withdrawn from a retort and provided with hinged push plates arranged at the opposite sides of said memher, said member being composed of a plurality of sections hinged together and each formed by a hollow, bar-like casting, and a renewable element on the bottom edge of each of said sections composed of a substantially channel-shaped shoe whose side flanges embrace a reduced portion on the casting.

8. A. retort charging apparatus, comprising a central member adapted to be intro duced into and withdrawn from a retort, hinged push plates on said member arranged at the sides of same and each having its upper outer edge portion deflected rearwardly, for the purpose described, and transverselydi-sposed guides or fenders on said central member that are adapted to co'operate With the sides of the. retort to hold the outer edges of the push plate out of contact with the sides of the retort.

9. A retort charging apparatus, comprising a central member adapted to be introduced into and Withdrawn from a. retort,

" hinged push plates on said member arranged Wardly, for the purpose described, transversely-disposed guides or fenders on said central member that are adapted to co-operate With the sides of the retort to hold the outer edges of the push plate out of contact with thesides of the retort, said central member being composed of a plurality of sections pivotally connected together, and a substantially channel-shaped shoeor Wear piece arranged at the lower edge of each of said sections.

JAMES GEORGE WILLCOX ALDRIDGE. 

